The streets around the arena were a lot quieter now. Most students had gone back to their dorms, either to talk about the brackets or rest before tomorrow's fights.
Noel, however, wasn't heading back just yet.
He moved quietly through a side path near the administrative sector of the arena, hood up, with Noir walking close at his side. She didn't make a sound, her black-and-purple fur blending almost too well with the stone surroundings.
They weren't here to fight or break in.
They were here to look.
'In the novel, the Fifth Pillar was connected to the event itself. Not in the shadows, not hiding. He was someone important—part of the system.'
Noel glanced around before ducking into a narrow corridor between two buildings, checking for guards. No one.
'If that's true here too, then he's not some random assistant or technician. He's got pull. He's close to the arena, to the logistics… maybe even to the administration.'
